


Begins and Ends with Ourselves

by castiel_ambrose



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, More characters to be added, More tags to be added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26621086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castiel_ambrose/pseuds/castiel_ambrose
Summary: What if Arno was raised by Monsieur de la Serre as a member of the Templar Order, ready to be inducted at a high rank alongside the soon to be Grandmaster Elise?What if Arno thought he knew his path in life for certain?And what if, despite everything... Some things remain the same no matter where or who you are?A familiar story with an unfamiliar twist.
Relationships: Arno Dorian/Élise de la Serre
Kudos: 7





	Begins and Ends with Ourselves

To anyone else, it was an ordinary, broken pocket watch. It was made out of silver, once polished to a shine. There were flowery designs engraved on the front, adding a delicate look to it, but they were covered by tarnish and rust. The hands were firmly set ten minutes after six. There were no gears to make them move, the glass covering them shattered from a long, hard fall onto the unforgiving floor.

But it was important to Arno, had been for thirteen years. A symbol of his father, and as broken as his promise to return. Unfortunately, in France, that was the fate of a promise more often than not.

“Arno!” A sharp voice pierced the air, snapping Arno out of his half drunker stupor. “ _ Monsieur _ Dorian!”

“Olivier, please, not so loud.” Arno got out of his bed with a groan, slipping his pocket watch into his trouser pocket and almost stumbling over his boots from where they had been clumsily kicked last night. He opened the door to take in the surly look of the steward and gave a friendly smile. “You’ll frighten the pigeons. And Lord knows how much they hate your face already. Has your plum jacket been cleaned yet from the droppings?”

Annoyance flitted over the other man’s face before being replaced with a peaceful acceptance of the past decade. “Your wit is charming as ever, sir. Let us pray that you can keep it going enough for the next few hours. The master is expecting to leave before lunch to pick up the lady Élise and deliver her to the palace. Yes,” Olivier spoke before Arno could, “he requests you come with him.”

“I can be ready within the hour.”

“You missed breakfast. Half-hour.”

“But-”

“Half the hour it is.” He gave the smallest bow he was socially obligated to do before turning on heel; he was likely off to trip children or throw sticks or cats or what he did in his free time. Had Arno felt especially petty that morning, he would have made one comment to get the last word in and feel fleeting satisfaction.

This time, his brain was still waking up, more than a bit befuddled. Last night had been… Something. But his mind cleared to one startling conclusion; Élise was coming back, if only for a minute. But he knew she was to leave for Paris, and with the right amount of smooth talk, he could very well be on his way to join her within the week. He knew why she had come back, had anticipated it for a few years now. And yes, on some base level, he was excited to complete the ceremony and be initiated, be made a true member of the Order. But more importantly, it meant he would see her. Be close to her in a way he never could before, did things go right.

Had his father’s watch worked, he would be watching it eagerly.  _ Within half an hour. _

* * *

_ “Arno? Arno, you’re going to be late to-” The red-haired girl stopped short, the clack of little hard heeled shoes almost echoing in the hallway. Arno kept his gaze down, focusing on the hem of her skirt instead of silently finding any more patterns on the floor. She sighed, a small delicate thing despite the force that went into it, before she went to sit on the padded bench next to him.” _

_ “I forgot it was today. Are you alright, Arno?” _

_ Today, why did it have to be today? Why did today have to come at all? Couldn’t they have skipped over it altogether? _

_ “Arno.” She was more insistent this time, hand grazing against his. He didn’t even register how both of them were clenching in his lap. She pulled one with zero resistance, letting it stay between them on neutral ground. It was silent until he spoke. _

_ “It’s been three years. I should be fine.” _

_ “Father… Father said it was okay to be like that. For a while.” _

_ “I want to feel like it forever.” _

_ It was silent again. He was older now and felt like this. Stupid. He was to be the man, Monsieur de la Serre was counting on him, he was to train and get better, he was- _

_ “Come along.” Élise suddenly said, hopping off the bench and allowing her hand to slip free of Arno’s. “We’re going down to the main streets and find what we can find for lunch. _

_ “But…” _

_ “Are you coming?” She attempted to arch an eyebrow, the same way her mother used to do to have them fall in line. _

_ He didn’t know if he would ever be a strong man like his father, or like Monsieur de la Serre, but she would be a strong lady; he knew that with his first clear thought all day. _

_ He hopped off the crate without another word, and they tore off through the hallways, running out into the back gardens and off the estate, their hands brushing together. _

* * *

“I’m surprised Olivier was able to get you out of bed. How much force did he use?” François casually remarked as Arno joined him in the main lobby, finally dressed.  _ Twenty-seven minutes,  _ he thought with satisfaction, and half hoped the steward was around to see it.

“Why suspect it was Olivier’s doing? Perhaps I simply decided to take the opportunity to show off my independence. Look, I even chose my own clothes.”

“Chosen to spite him, I’m sure.” He pointed out, and Arno refused to give him the satisfaction of answering in the affirmative; clothes  _ had _ been left out, but he preferred these. François seemed to pick up on it anyway and held in what Arno was sure to be a sigh borne of long-suffering. “I know you went out last night; two angry men came looking for you early this morning-”

“They both cheat at cards, I was merely-”

“Regardless, you should know better than that. Have I not raised you to be better than that, Arno? Arno,” he spoke again, imploring the younger man to look at him again, “we are meant to lead humanity to a better future. We can’t do that when you’re out beating them and leading them on a chase around Versailles.”

“I know that, I do.” Arno finally looked over at his guardian. “The Order is looking toward new leaders. Towards Élise. But where do I fit into this plan? As a soldier? A leader? There’s so little you’ve explained, and so much left to learn before the initiation tonight. Élise is meant to lead, she should, but if that’s so… Why-”

“I will explain everything.  _ After _ the initiation tonight. Trust me, Arno. You are more important than you think. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

“Never.” Arno was quick to admit. De la Serre had always been good, even when he had no reason to be. It humbled something inside Arno, as much as he refused to admit it. He had only been full of questions, questions he had asked for years. It always came up whenever his “duties” were brought up; duties without a reason.

Things were silent as Arno swallowed his pride -- difficult, for sure -- and nodded eventually. “Immediately after you’ll tell me.”

“Immediately after.” François agreed, and his hand barely rested on Arno’s shoulder. “Now, come along. We’re meant to pick up Elise and head to the palace for lunch before the party tonight. My daughter is probably angry we’ve left her alone for long.”

Arno held back a smile until the older man passed him for the carriage waiting. “I’m sure she’s in quite the mood.” He said with quiet fondness before following his lead.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow along with the story on tumblr! Follow me on my tumblr[tumblr](https://straight-into-the-animus.tumblr.com/), and let me know what you think! I'm always accepting requests!
> 
> Leave a kudos and a comment if you enjoyed, it'd make my day! Safety and peace!


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